Pratique du Shadowing: IELTS Listening Map with Answers and Script - Minster Park - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

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Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
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OK, let me tell you about some of the changes that have been made and some things that have been retained.
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If you look at this map, you'll see the familiar outline of the park, with the river forming the northern boundary,
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and a gate in each of the other three walls.
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The statue of Diane Gosforth has been moved.
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It used to be close to the South Gate, but it's now immediately to the north of the Lily Pond, almost in the centre of the park,
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which makes it much more visible.
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There's a new area of wooden sculptures, which are on the riverbank, where the path from the East Gate makes a sharp bend.
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There are two areas that are particularly intended for children.
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The playground has been enlarged and improved, and that's between the river and the path that leads from the pond to the river.
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Then there's a new maze, a circular series of paths separated by low hedges.
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That's near the Westgate.
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You go north from there towards the river and then turn left to reach it.
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There have been tennis courts in the park for many years, and they've been doubled, from four to eight.
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They're still in the southwest corner of the park, where there's a right-angle bend in the path.
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Something else I'd like to mention is the new fitness area.
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This is right next to the lily pond on the same side as the West Gate.
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Now, as you're all gardeners, I'm sure you'll like to hear about the plants that have been chosen for the park.
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Thank you.

Why Practice Speaking with This IELTS Listening Map Video?

Practicing with this video is a fantastic way to boost your IELTS speaking practice and master real-world English. The dialogue focuses on describing a park map— a common scenario in both daily life and IELTS tasks—helping you learn to explain locations, changes, and directions clearly. It’s also perfect for shadowspeak: repeating the speaker’s words aloud to mimic their rhythm and intonation. By engaging with this content, you’ll build confidence in describing spatial relationships, a key skill for exams and everyday communication. Plus, the natural flow of the speaker’s explanations makes it an ideal shadowing site to refine your pronunciation and fluency.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The video is packed with useful structures to notice. First, the speaker uses passive voice to highlight changes: “The statue of Diane Gosforth has been moved.” This is great for describing actions without focusing on who did them, a common IELTS strategy. Second, prepositional phrases like “immediately to the north of” and “between the river and the path” are essential for location descriptions—master these, and you’ll ace map-based tasks. Third, the phrase “used to be” contrasts past and present: “It used to be close to the South Gate, but it's now…” This is perfect for talking about changes, a frequent topic in speaking tests. Finally, “where the path makes a sharp bend” uses a relative clause to add detail, making your speech more complex and natural.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Keep an ear out for tricky words in the video. “Minster Park” might trip you up—note the short “i” in “Minster” and the stress on the first syllable. “Lily Pond” has a double “l” in “Lily,” so make sure to pronounce it clearly, not as “li-ee.” The word “maze” is often mispronounced with a long “a” (like “maize”), but here it’s short, rhyming with “days.” Also, the speaker uses connected speech: “right next to” becomes “right nex’ to,” with the “t” in “next” softened. Practicing these with shadow speech will help you sound more like a native. Don’t forget to mimic the speaker’s pace—they slow down slightly when describing directions, which is a useful technique to emphasize key points.

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?

Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.